Musical instrument



(No Model.)

J. D. BAGHTBLL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

v U a I V e R a! I? h j J WITNESSES: 1; my TOR 4f yak J0 V M 2M0 ATTORNEY KY! MDLMW D- C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB D. BAOHTEL, OF NEIV BERLIN, OHIO.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,110, dated April 12, 1887.

/ Application filed October 18, 1886. Serial No. 216,501. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB D. BACIITEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Berlin,in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view showing some of the different parts in section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the axle, showing the sounding-wires and the bifurcated arms or bars attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the tension-clamp, showing a sounding-wire attached thereto. Fig. 6 is a detached view of a playing stick or bar.

The present invention has relation to musical instruments; and its nature consists in the different parts and combinations of parts, hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre sents the base, which may be provided with the legs a. To the central portion of the base A are attached in any desired manner the posts or standards B, and to the top or upper ends of these posts or standards B is journaled the axle or shaft 0, said axle or shaft being substantially of the form shown in the drawings. To this axle or shaft 0 are attached the heads D and E. Said heads maybe made of thin boards; or, if preferred, sheep-skin or such material as is commonly used for drum-heads may be used, and suitable collars provided for properly attaching the heads to the axle or shaft 0. I prefer to use thin boards, such as are commonly used for the sounding-boards of stringed instruments.

To the peripheries of the heads D and E is securely attached the rim or bandF, this rim or band being formed of the material used for the shell of a drum. To the rim or band F are attached the tension-elamps G. These tensionclamps G are arranged equal distances apart,

and as many clamps placed or attached to the rim or band F as there are sounding-wires across the head D. In the drawings sixteen of the tension-clamps are shown; but a greater or less number may be used, if desired. For the purpose of securely holding the tensionclamps G to the rim or band F, the hooks or grasps Z) are provided, which embracethe rear edge of said rim or band, as shown in Figs. 2

and 3. These tension-clamps Gare each provided with the adjustable block 0, said adj ustable block being provided with a screwthreaded aperture, which is for the purpose of receiving the serewthreaded bar d, as shown in Fig. 5.

To the adjustable blocks 0 are securely attached the outer ends of the sounding-wires d. The inner ends of these sounding-wires d are securely attached to the pins or studse or their equivalents. The sounding-wires (1 should be made of the best of material, such as is used in the manufacture of pianos. For the purpose of preventing the sounding wires d from striking against the head D, the bridge f is provided, which may be a ring encircling the axle or shaft C and securely attached to the head D.

For the purpose of giving the soundingwires (1 the desired amount of tension, the screw-threaded bar (1 is turned by means of a common wrench and the heads 9.

It will be understood that the tension of the sounding wires (1 is to be varied, thereby properly tuning the instrument. The axle or shaft 0 is provided with the collar H,which may be located substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and is for the purpose of securely attaching the bifurcated arms or bars I, these bifurcated arms or bars I being located and arranged substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and are formed of such material as is used in the manufacture of tuning-forks, and may, if desired, be formed of different sizes, thereby producing different tones. The axle or shaft 0 is provided with the pulley J ,which is for the purpose of imparting a rotary motion to the axle 0r shaft 0 and the different parts belonging and attached to said axle or shaft 0, by means of the wheel K and the belt K.

In use the axle or shaft 0 should be so geared that it, together with its different attachments, will make about four revolutions to one of the driving-wheel K. The driving-wheel K is provided with the handle or crank b.

The playing-stick L may be substantially of the form shown in Fig. 6, and, if desired, may be properly covered at one end with leather or like material. This stick L is calculated to be used on the sounding-wires d. For the purpose of producing sounds or tones on the bifurcated arms or bars I, a steel bar should be used. The playing-stick Lshould be made of flexible material, such as whalebone or elastic wood. To the frontedge of the rim'or band F, at the points where the sounding-wires d strike or bear, suitable blocks or plates of metal should be properly attached for the purpose of preventing said rim or band from becoming marred, and at the same time providing a suitable seat or rest for said soundingwires.

In use, the axle or shaft 0, together with its different parts and attachments, are retated when the playing'stick L is beat or pressed against the sounding-wires d,- and in case it is desired to play upon the bifurcated arms or bars I at the same time, the operator should hold the flexible stick L and also a steel bar in one hand, so as to strike or bear against the sounding-wires d or the bifurcated arms or bars I, as desired.

It will also be seen that by placing the heads D and E on the axle or shaft 0, and attaching the rim or band F to these heads, I provide a hollow rotating cylinder or barrel overstrung with sounding-wires, which wires are beaten or rubbed upon, when the hollow cylinder is rotated, by means of a flexible stick, for the purpose of keeping time in music. It will be understood that the size of the sounding-wires d may be varied for the purpose of producing different tones.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a musical instrument, the combination, with a sounding-board mounted upon a rotating axle or shaft, of sounding-wires connected with the periphery of the soundingboard and with the axle or shaft and means for rotating the sounding-board, substantially as described.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination, with a rotary sounding-board mounted upon an axle or shaft and means for rotating the same, of bifurcated arms connected to and rotating with said axle or shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination,with the sounding-board D, mounted upon the rotating shaft or axle O,and means for rotating the same, of the sounding-wires d, 0011- nected with the periphery of the soundingboard and with the axle or shaft, and the bifurcated arms I, connected to and rotating with the axle or shaft, substantially as described.

4. In a musical instrument, the axle or shaft 0, having attached thereto the heads D and E, in combination with the rim or band F, the tension-clamp G, and the soundingwires d, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the tension-clamp G, provided with the hooks or grasps b, for embracing the edge of the rim or band F, the adjustable blocks e, having attached thereto the sounding-wires cl, the screw-threaded bard, the rotary sounding board or head D, and the axle or shaft 0, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the axle or shaft (3, the sounding-head D, mounted thereon, the tension-clamp G, provided with the hooks or grasps I), for embracing the edge of the rotating rim or band F, the adjustable blocks 6, the sounding-wires d, attached at the outer ends to the blocks and at their inner ends connected with the axle G, and the annular bridge f, encircling the said axle and secured to the rotating sounding-board D, substantially as described.

7. In a musical instrument, the combination, with the axle or shaft C,mount ed in vertical standards,the sounding-board D, mounted upon and rotating with the axle,and the sounding-wires d, of the pulley J, the wheel K,having crank 71 and the belt K, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB D. BACHTEL.

Witnesses:

F. W. BOND, E. A. 0. SMITH. 

